Structure of fern and pinus
Answers
Explanation:
Characteristics of Conifers and fern
Conifers and ferns are both vascular plants that mostly grow in humid, forested areas around the world. These plants are both unusual in their reproductive features. Unlike other plants, which flower and produce a fruit as part of their reproductive cycle, conifers and ferns produce neither. Understanding the characteristics of these plants helps you better identify conifers and ferns.
Leaf Structure
Conifers and ferns both have distinctive leaf structures that make them easily identifiable. Conifers typically have one of three different leaf types. Those from the Pinaceae family, such as pines, spruce and fir trees, have needlelike leaves. Those in the Cupressaceae family, such as junipers and arborvitaes have scale or awl-like leaves. Yews, from the Taxaceae family, are also conifers, and have flattened, feathery leaves. Ferns have a simple leaf structure that is the same for all the many species. Ferns are composed of a stem, also called a rhizome, from which multiple, veined leaves unfold in a divided structure. The leaves are also called fronds. Each leaf also consists of tiny leaflets called pinnae.
Cone-Bearing Plants
Conifers are easy to identify, as they are cone-bearing plants. Instead of producing a seed enclosed within a fruit, these non-flowering woody plants produce cones, which play a vital role in reproduction. This characteristic identifies conifers to a group of plants called Gynosperms. The Latin meaning for the word Gynosperm translates to “naked seed,” while the word conifer means “cone bearing.”
Sporangia
Ferns belong to a group of plants called Tracheophytes. These ancient plants date back as far as 350 million years in the fossil record. Like conifers, ferns do not produce fruit or flowers. Instead, the undersides of the leaves on a fern contain multiple structures called sporangia. The sporangia appear in cluster or circles and are sometimes protected by membranes. They are brown, orange or black in color. These sporangia contain the spores that are responsible for the plant’s reproduction.
Fern Reproduction
Ferns have a unique reproductive process. No other plant shares the same process for reproduction. The sporangia developing on the undersides of the fern’s leaves eventually break open, releasing spores. These spores are spread by wind and splashing rain.
When the spores are spread to an area with favorable conditions -- usually a shaded area with high humidity -- a small plant, called a gametophyte, develops. This plant has a short life span, but also has both male and female reproductive organs. The gametophyte is responsible for the fertilization that produces another plant, called a sporophyte. These sporophytes produce the sporangia that release spores and start the reproductive process over again.
Conifer Reproduction
Conifer reproduction is much simpler than the reproductive cycle of a fern. A conifer can produce cones with both male and female reproductive organs. These cones are responsible for fertilization. The male cones produce pollen that is easily spread to the female cones. A seed then develops inside the cones with female sex organs. These seeds are responsible for the development of new
▪ STRUCTURE OF FERN AND PINUS SEE ON THIS ATTACHMENT !
I hope its help for you!
